Monday, November 22, 2010

Thanksgiving

    Now is the time for giving, and it just so happens that one of my favorite kids books is "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein.  This has brought about a fun tradition that involves both parents and children, and feels much better than telling parents "give us stuff".
    Teachers make a tree out of brown construction paper (the hardest part is making the branches, which just means there is some cutting involved.).  Make a large quantity of leaf cutouts and allow the children to decorate them with paints, glitter, markers, and so on.  Then take a look around your classroom.  What are you missing that would enhance the children's learning experience?
    I tend to ask for mostly cost efficient items and only put a few large items down on a piece of paper.  When the leaves are complete, start writing down the items that you listed.  Display the tree as a bulletin board, and invite your parents to take a look at your giving tree and take a leaf or two. 
    You would be amazed at how giving people are when asked in this creative way!

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